Labeling-machine.



R. BURT.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, m2.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

I3 SHEETSSNET l R. BURT.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED M71, 1912.

1,174,670. Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

I3 SHEETSSMEET 2.

Z IHVENTOR 5 ATTORNEYS R. BURT.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED an I. 1912.

1,174,670. Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

I3 SHEETS SHEET 3- wrmssw T 1 g. 3 "WEI/TOR z ATTORNEYS R. BURT.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1912.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

I3 SHEETS-SHEET 4- GGGIGG INVENTOR K limi- ATTORNEYS R. BURT.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED my 1. 1912.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

l3 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Fig.8-

INVENTUR IF. M

JTTOR'IEYS WITNESSES R. BURT.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED HAY I I9I2.

1,174,670. Patented Mar. 1916.

13 sncnssn:n s.

INVENTOR R. BURT.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I, 1912.

1, 174,670. Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

I3 SHEETS-SHEET1- WIT/l! E8 INVENTOR W I 3 te z a ATTORNEYS R. BURT.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I. 1912.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

13 snzzrs'sn:n 8.

Tig 13- INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEYS R. BURT.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED my I. 1922.

1,174,670. Patnted Mar. 7,1916.

I3 SNEETSSHEET a.

Ill 35 WITNESSES INVENTOR R. BURT.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED RAY 1. 19:2.

1 1 74,670. Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

I3 SHEETSSHEET H.

ATTORNEYS W M 250 7! "(YEP/TOR BY WW M R. BURT.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED HAY I, 1912.

1,174,670, Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

I3 SHEETS-SHEET I2- F i g2. 8-

WITNESSES INVEHTOR WM,

R. BURT.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION men an I. 1912.

Patented-Mar. 7, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 13.

0" m K N I 5 n1 5 9 6 o H '00 5 x on T 1 T %u 9 A I. II I L 9 II: :H J r K 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBINSON BURT, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'I O F. N. BURT COMPANY LIMITED, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF ONTARIO, CANADA.

LABELING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. '7, 1916.

Application fled Kay 1, 1912. Serial No. 694,381.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBINSON BURT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Labeling-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others ,skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to labeling ma- .chines, and with respect to its more specific features, to machines whereby a strip of flexible material, such as paper, cloth, etc, may be applied and secured to separable elements, such as the container and cover of a box, thereby connecting and hinging said elements together, the hinge strip offering a means of covering portions of the boxes and displaying printed notices, etc.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a practical machine for applying and aliixing hinges of flexible material to paper boxes.

Another object is the provision of a sim ple machine of the character described in which the hinges are produced from a continuous web of material and automatically affixed to a container and cover across the joint therebetween.

Another object of the invention is the production of an efiicient machine for affixing to boxes labels marked, as by printing, and providing mechanism whereby different parts of 'the label, as for instance the marked part, may be aflixed to a predetermined portion of the box.

Another. object of the invention is the provision of a practical machine for severing marked labels from a marked continuous web and successively applying them to a series of boxes in predetermined positionf Another object is the provision of an eflicient machine for labeling boxes from a continuous web of material, embodying mechanism for controlling and setting the webfeeding mechanism.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

. In the accompanying drawings, wherein is illustrated one of the possible embodiments of the invention,Figures 1, 2 and 3 represent front, side and rear elevations, respectively, of a machine embodying the lnvention; Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal vertical section of portions of the machine on an enlarged scale; Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views showing the box magazine and the feeding mechanism for the boxes; Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of a portion of the box feeding mechanism; Fig. 9 is a front view of a portion of the machine showing the box retainer and the web holder or tension device; Fig. 10 is a sectional view showing the web tension devicefrom the side; Fig. 11 is a rear view showing the web cutting mechanism; Fig. 12 is a side view of the combined box and web feeding mechanism; Fig. 13 is an enlarged plan view of portions of the web feeding mechanism; Fig. 14 is a side view of the web feeding and adjusting mechanism; Figs. 15, 16 and 17 are detail views of elements of the adjusting mechanism; Figs. 18 and 19 are, respectively, side and sectional views of the gripping mechanism for conveying the boxes and web; Fig. 20 is a vertical cross section showing the clamping mechanism; Fig. 21 is a detail View; Fig. 22 is a front view of the mechanism for transferring the hinged boxes to the press; Fig. 23 is a side sectional view of this latter mechanism; Fig. 2-1 is a detail view; Fig. 25 illustrates the box pusher and its operating mechanism; Figs. 26, 27 and 28 are detail views of different operating mechanisms; Figs. 29, 30 and 31 illustrate the glue tank and gluing devices associated therewith from different points of view- Fig. 32 illustrates a box, and label or hinge before folding; and Fig. 33 illustrates the hinged box in section.

It may be preliminarily noted that by means of this invention a continuous web of flexible material, such as thin paper, is automatically cut into separate labels or hinges, and each label or hinge applied to one of a series of boxes from a magazine and folded and secured thereon.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, the machine comprises an upright frame comprising a table 1, supported by legs 2, spaced apart. The frame supports the operating elements of the machine, and in this embodiment, the mechanism for operating the devices for performing the several operations preferab y comprises a driving shaft 3, located at rear of the machine and carrying pulley 4, driving ar 5 and hand wheel 6. Adjacent the driving shaft is a cam shaft 7, driven from shaft 3, pinion 8, and supporting cams 9, 10, and 11, adapted to respectively operate difl'erent portions of the mechanism at proper times as will hereinafter appear. At the forward end of the machine is located a second cain shaft 12, driven by a chain belt 13 from the shaft 7, as shown, and provided with a seriesof cams 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, adapted to operate portions of the mechanism as will also hereinafter appear. Intermediate the shafts 7 and 12 is a stub shaft 20, carrying a cam 21 operatively connected to the box supplying mechanism, the shaft 20 being driven from the chain by a sprocket wheel 22. A substantial bracket 23 is secured at the front of the frame and supports the glue pot and certain other elements as will appear hereinafter.

24 indicates an upright hollow shaft or magazine of a proper size to receive the boxes to be labeled or hinged and in which said boxes are arranged in a stack one above the other and are adapted to descend by gravity. The magazine is provided with supporting flanges 25 which retain the stack with the lower box in delivery position relative to a reciprocatory box feeding device or pusher, which pushes the boxes one by one from the bottom of the stack rearwardly through a delivery opening 26 into a retainer vertically in alinement with a cushion or rubber support on the box table below it.

The box pusher comprises a laterally projecting arm 27 having a supporting and pushing head 28 in alinement with the lowest box and connected to a slide bar 29 guided in a slot 30 in a horizontal bracket 31 secured to the frame. The pusher is a plate of a length sufficient to retain the remainder of the stack up while delivering a box therefrom to the retainer and until the pushenretreats for a new box. In order to operate the pusher, a connecting rod 32 is pivotally secured to the slide bar and to an arm 33 of a rock shaft 34 journaled in a bracket 35 on the frame, said shaft being provided with a pinion 36 engaged by a rack 37 at the upper portion of the rack bar 38, the lower portion of said bar having a slot 39 engaged by the stub shaft 20 and provided with an anti-friction roller 40 traveling on the cam 21 secured to said shaft. As the shaft rotates the cam raises and lowers the rack. which in turn causes the reciprocation of the pusher head in a manner which will be apparent. In order that any obstruction to movement of the head or any undue resistance shall not operate to cause a break of the machine parts or the crushing of the boxes, :1 yielding joint is provided; in this embodiment by making the connecting rod in sections and providing one section with an annular clutch face 41 engaged by a spring-held pin 42 on the other section. S hould the operating mechanism of the pusher encounter any undue resistance, said joint will yield, as will be under In horizontal alinement with the lower end of the magazine is a box retainer, comprising a pair of fixed adjustable guides 44 spaced apart and de ending from a substantial bracket or yoke 45 mounted on the table. Movable box-supporting fingers 46 are pivoted to the guides and project into the space therebetween, being resilientl held in said space by s rings 47 which readily yield to allow the box to be pressed drfivnwardly out of the retainer into position between properly spaced guides 48 fixed to the table and adapted to be adjusted laterally of the machine. Playing between the box-supporting guides is a discharging plunger 49 supported on a plunger rod 50 passmg through a guide 51 fixed to the yoke 46 and positively moved in a direction to dlscharge the box from the retainer by a rock lever 52, to one end of which the plunger is pivotally connected. The rock lever 52 is fulcrumed on a bracket 53 on the frame and the opposite end thereof is pivotally joined by an adjustable connecting rod 54 to a slotted guiding plate 55 embracing the cam shaft 12, said plate being provided with an anti-friction roller 56 co"peratively associated with the cam 19 on said shaft to re ciprocate the plunger, a spring 57 tending to lift the plunger.

The labels or hinges 58 are composed of thin flexible paper which may be suitably ornamented on one face, the other face being preferably of such a character as to readily receive an adhesive such as glue. The label strips or hinges are preferably provided with marks or printed and in the present embodiment the strips or hinges are provided from a continuous web 60 having said marks or legends at equal distances apart along its length, these marks being designed to be located at a definite position relatively to each box, preferably on the bottom of the box near the front edge. The labels are comprised in a continuous web coiled to form a supply roll of web 61 mounted on a drum 62 journalcd in brackets 23 below the table. From the drum the web is threaded around a slack-producing device comprising a rod 63 mounted on an arm 64 of a rock shaft 65 joined by a connecting rod 66 to a crank pin 67 on the rotary cam legends 59,

shaft 12. The slack-producing device is so 59 arranged as to unroll the roll of web and provide slack thereof so that when the web 18 fed by the grippers, as hereinafter described, the inertia of the roll may not have to be overcome. Having passed over the slack-producing device, the web is threaded respectively over and under a series of tension rods 68; thence over a guide roller 69 carried by a glue pot 70; thence over and in contact with a glue supply roller 71 which dips into the glue in the pot, this latter roller coating one surface of the web with adhesive material. On leaving the supply roller the web passes beneath an adjustable guide rod 72, thence past an adjustable scraper bar 73 and around another guide roller 74,50 that the glued surface of the web will be upwardly presented in its further pawge through the machine. This last-mentioned roller is spaced some distance from the table, so as to provide a substantial length of un supported web before the same passes over another guide roller 75 held in brackets on the frame, from which latter roller the web is led along the surface of the table to a position beneath the box retainer, so that the box discharged from the retainer will rest on the glued surface of the web and be pressed thereagainst. Immediately beneath the web where the box contacts therewith the table is provided with a rubber face or block 76, the upper face of which is slightly convex or dome-shaped, so that when the box is pressed against the web, the latter is smoothly pressed thereover, all air bubbles, wrinkles, etc., being pressed out.

The gluing mechanism comprises a glue pot having slotted brackets or feet 77, by means of which it may be fastened to the bracket 23 and held in proper position relative to the other operating parts of the mechanism. The pot is provided with the customary jacket and openings 7 8 thereinto for the passage of steam or hot water to keep the glue in liquid condition. Journaled on adjustable studs 79 passing through the walls of the pot is the glue supply roller 71 dipping into the glue in the pot and transferring glue to the surface of the web. Journaled removably in slotted brackets 80 at one end of the pot is the guide roller 69 provided with adjustable collars 81, between which the web passes. Pivoted adjacent one end of the pot are spring-supported arms 82 carrying, at one end, the guide roller 74, and the guide rod 72 is supported in brackets 83 adjustably mounted on said arms. The scraper bar is substantially triangular in cross section and is supported by levers 84 pivoted to brackets 85 on the walls of the pot, said scraper bar being adjustably held in position by a collar or nut 86 adjustably engaging a pin 87, pivoted on the wall of the pot and engaged by an arm 88 secured to one of said levers, a spring 89 being interposed between the nut and pot. In order to secure the guide roller 74 in proper position and permit the same to be moved so as to easily thread or unthread the web, a slotted arm 90 is fixed thereto and is pressed against the wall of the pot by means of the nut 91. A pivoted hook 92 is secured to one of the arms 82 and is adapted to be engaged by a pin 93, on the end of a lever 94, the other end of lever 94-. being adjustably mounted by means .of pin 95 and nut 96. By adjusting the nut 96 the position of the pin 95 may be set as desired, and thereafter this adjustment of the pin will be maintained, notwithstanding the fact that the pivoted hook may be released from the pin and the guide roller moved on its pivot.

97 indicates a stop pin for the hook 92. In threading the machine the guide roller will assume position to which it may have been originally adjusted.

In this specific embodiment, the boxes are delivered from the magazine to the retainer, thence are pressed upon the end of the web and then the web and attached box are gripped by a feedin mechanism and moved in a direction to feed the web. This feeding movement having been accomplished, the web will extend from the box along the surface of the table, and it is designed to sever the web at such a point as to leave a suflicient amount extending from the box to fold against the side of the box across the joint of a two-part box and preferably enough to fold, also, on the top of the box. In order to provide the proper amount of web extending from the box, and in order that the front end of the web shall be located at a definite position relative to the edge of the box, a cutter mechanism is provided, which severs the web at a, proper point relative to the position at which the box is delivered thereto. At the inner edge of the table, ad jacent the place where the box is applied to the web, is located a vertically reciprocatory cutter platen 98 which, in its upper position, is flush with the table and in effect a continuation thereof. In its upper position said platen cooperates with a cutter disk 99 which passes back and forth across the same to sever the web and thereby determine the end of a label orhinge. The platen forms the upper face of a substantial connecting member or yoke 100 having vertical walls 101 guided in the frame, a rod 102 being adjustably secured to the bottom of the yoke and guided in a bracket 103 on the frame and terminating in an anti-friction roller 104 coiiperating with the cam 16 on the shaft 12, a spring 105 connected to the yoke and bracket being adapted to assist in lowering the yoke.

A dovetailed horizontal groove 106 in the rear face of the yoke 45 forms a slideway for the web cutter, comprising a supporting late 107 adapted to bridge the guide mem-.

rs 44 of the-retainer and form a stop for the boxes fed into said retainer; Thetransverse dimension of the supporting plate 107 is sufficient to provide said stop at all positions of the cutter. The web cutter 1s reciprocated transversely across the width of the web in the cutting operation, and it 18 designed to cut or sever the web during the movement of the cutter in each direction, and to cause the cutter to dwell between each cutting operation in order to permit the web to be fed for a succeeding operation of the cutter. Accordingly to the cutter supporting plate is joined a rod or link 108, its opposite end being pivotally connected to one arm 109 of a rock ever, the other arm 110 of the latter being connected by a universal joint to one end of a connecting rod 111, also universally connected to a crank 112 on the end of a short shaft 113 mounted on a bracket 114, fastened to the bracket. The shaft 113 carries a pinion 115, driven by amutilated gear wheel 116, on the shaft 12. The number of teeth of the gear 116 and the pinion 115 is so proportioned and arranged that 'as the gear 116 rotates the pinion 115 will be alternately turned onehalf a revolution to move the cutter in one direction, and permitted to dwell for such time as may be required before a subsequent cutting takes place. The supporting plate is provided with transverse guides 117 between which is supported and guided a plate 118 carrying at its lower end therotatable cutter disk or knife 99. Straps 119 retain the cutter plate on the head, and the cutter disk is mounted on a short shaft 120 projectin forwardly to position the cutting edge of t e disk in the proper cutting line, as explained. A spring 121 engaging a relatively fixed pin 122 on the head 107 preses against a pin 123 projecting from the cutter plate so as to yieldingly press the disk against the web, and an adjustable stop pin 124 is also carried by the cutter plate and engages a lug 125 on one of the cross pieces to retain the cutter plate when the platen has been lowered. Tension fingers press against opposite edges of the web when the cutter operates and release said web when it is fed as hereinafter described.

The boxes to be labeled and hinged preferably comprise two elements, or sections, viz.: a container 126 and a cover 127, such as found in a cigarette box; and preferably one element is provided with the usual collar or neck, the two elements being telescoped to form the complete closed box and a number of these boxes being placed in the supply magazine. One aim of this invention is to provide the two elements with a hinge of flexible material, such as paper. If the boxes are to contain articles subject to tarifl', notice to the public of compliance with the law is required, and, accordingly, the hinge material is printed with the customary notices, which may also be designated as marks as hereinbefore set forth, and when the hinge is applied to a box the notice is preferably located at a similar definite position on each box. To accomplish these results mechanically the boxes are or ranged in the supply magazine so that when pliished into the retainer and pressed there'- m one edge of the bottom face of the boxes will overlap 0r extend beyond the cutting line about one-sixteenth of an inch, and to this end the boxes are stopped in the retainer by the cutter supporting plate in such position that when pushed therefrom by the retainer plunger the edges thereof will project beyond the cutting line b such amount. The web having been threadiad in the machine to position beneath the retainer and its upper face having been glued, the cutter will operate to sever the web and the box is immediately thereafter applied to the web and pressed thereagainst, as has already been explained. In the further operation of the machine the box and web are gripped and together move in a direction to feed the web, and the next operation of the cutter severs the web on a line located, as explained, relativel to the succeeding box, and the feed of t 1e web is sufficient to provide an amount of web material between the first box and the cutting line for the succeeding box such that when the web is severed for the next box the portion trailing from the first box will be suflicient to be folded over the jointed face of the box and preferably, as in the present embodiment, over a portion of that face of the box opposite to that to which the web was first applied.

In order to accomplish the feed of the box and the web to provide the proper length of material for the hinges and fold and secure the hinges to the box, the machine comprises the following construction: On the upper surface of the rear portion of the table is a horizontal guideway comprising spaced guide plates 128 supporting a reciprocatory gripper slide comprising a flat bar 129 engaging grooves in the guide plates. At its forward end the gripper slide carries a ripping mechanism comprising a pivot bloc 120 of T-shape in plan view pivotally joined to the gripper slide. The griper comprises two aws 131, the lower jaw Being fastened to the pivot block and the upper jaw fast to a block 132 pivoted at 133 in cars of the pivot block, the jaws being movable toward and from each other, as will be apparent. In order to grip an article between the jaws, spring means are employed to move them toward each other, these means comprising studs 134 pivotally joined to the pivot block at either side of the T head of the said block and passing up wardly through slots 135 in the upper jaw, a relatively strong spring 136 encircling each stud and hearing at one end against a washer 137 interposed between each spring and the jaw, and at the other end against a nut or collar 138 threaded on the stud. The tension of the spring may be varied by adjusting the nuts on the studs. One of the jaws, preferably the upper, may be provided with a cushion, as a rubber block 139, set therein to afford a friction surface. The lower jaw is preferably beveled on its outside face as at 140, in order that it may be more readily entered between the web and the cutter platen. In order to avoid too close an approximation of the jaws by the springs and to afford means for positively separating the jaws at proper times, a link or pawl 141 is pivotally connected to one jaw, in this instance the lower, and is provided with an antifriction roller 142, which rides on the other jaw. In the present case, said link is U- shaped, the arms being pivotally connected to the pivot block and embracing a block 143 on the upper jaw. By this construction as the link is moved on its pivot from its central upright position the roller bears on the block on the upper jaw and will positively separate the jaws or permit them to approach each other, depending upon the distance the link is moved or the shape of the surface over which the roller travels.

In the present embodiment the forward motion of the link will depress the tail of the upper jaw and separate the jaws, and the surface of the block 143 is provided with a cam portion 144, against which the roller presses on its forward movement, to eifect their separation. In order to malntain the jaws in this latter position, the block 143 is provided with a seat havinga stop wall 145 to arrest and retain the roller. When the link is moved from the position last mentioned to the rear, the jaws approach each other and the limit of their approximation is determined by a stop wall 146. The surface of the block is so designed and the stops are so located as to permit the jaws to close sufiiciently to grasp the articles to be gripped when the link is in one position, movement to the other position causing the jaws to separate sufliciently to release the articles gripped. Relatively light expansion coil springs 147 are interposed between the upper jaw and the grip r slide, the tendency of which is to turn t e pivot block and both gripper jaws on the pivot 148, so as to depress both jaws simultaneously for a purpose hereinafter described. The grippers are moved forwardly into position to grasp the box and the web, and backwardly to carry these elements into position for further manipulation, and the reciprocation of the gripper is accomplished by means of a rock lever 149, fulcrumed on a cross rod 150, one end of the lever having a roller 151 engaging a cam groove 152 in the cam piece 9. As the grip er jaws overlap the box and the attached web, the pawl 141 strikes a stop or pin 153, and is forced rearwardly, permitting the jaws to close on the box and web. Adjacent the o posite end of the path of the gripper is a racket 154, having a horizontal guiding opening carrying another pin 155 provided with a shoulder 156, nuts 157 and a spring 158. Pin 155 is thus yieldingly held in the path of the pawl 141, and may be adjusted to force the pawl forwardly to release the box and web. In the present embodiment, the pin for causing the closing of the jaws is mounted on the cutter supporting plate 107, so that when the cutter dwells, the pin will be in alinement with the pawl. As the gripper operates between the dwells of the cutter another similar pin 153 is provided which will assume proper position when the cutter-is at rest on the opposite side of the web.

The material from which the labels are made and out being a continuous flexible strip, and in the present instance'of comparatively soft paper, it sometimes happens that in printing the notices 59 thereon, they are not uniformly s aced from each other. This condition ma be due to irregularities in the operation 0 the press, or to unavoidable variations in the texture, density of the aper, atmospheric conditions, etc., wherey the web lengthens, shortens, wrinkles, etc., a moist atmospheric condition lengthening the paper and increasing the distance between the location of successive notices. A web containing notices adapted to so vary in the uniformity of their spacing might, when employed in this machine, fail to accurately register each notice with the position on the box predetermined therefor, and therefore provision is made for varying or adjusting the feed of the web to accurately register the notices with the articles to be hipged and labeled and with the cutting ne. p The gripper slide and the gripper connected thereto are so arranged as to draw a ater or less amount of the web, as desired, in order to neutralize inaccurate location of the notices relative thereto, and in order to vary or adjust the feed of the web, means are provided whereby the length of stroke of the gripper slide may be lengthened or shortened, and that while the machine is in operation. To the'lever 149 is pivoted one end of a link 159 which may be adjusted in length by a turnbuckle, said link being rotatably adjustable on its pivot relative to said lever, and a connecting rod 160 pivotally joins the rotatably adjustable link with a bracket 161 secured to slide 129.

When the gripper is at the extreme for ward end of its stroke in position to grip the box and web, the link 159 and the rod 160 are parallel, the pivotal connections between the link 159 and lever 149 being in axial alinement with the pivotal connection between the rod 160 and bracket 161, so that as the link 159 is adjusted around its pivotal connection to lever 149, the bracket and gripper slide are not displaced. Thus the successive assembled boxes and web are always gripped at the same relative point. By adjusting the link 159 around its pivots connection with lever 149, the gripper will be translated either a. greater or less distance for the same angular movement of cam track 152, depending on the direction of said adjustment. The track 152 has a concentric portion 152, intermediate the extreme limits of its throw,which causes the gripper slide to dwell for a sufiicient period to permit the cutter 99 to pass across and sever the web, the web being held or tensioned at this time between said grippers and the holding fingers 251 hereinafter described. After the web is cut the cam track 152 causes a sllght further movement of the gripper slide, whereupon the pawl 141 contacts pin 155, and the grippers are opened to release the box. The required increase or decrease of the stroke of the gripper slide by the adjustment is ordinarily quite small, so that the point in the stroke at which the grippers are released is not displaced enough to interfere with the proper positioning of the box between the clamp jaws 192 and 193. It is designed to fix the relative position of the and operating lever when in adjusted POSI- tion, and it will be noted that the effective length of the operating lever is varied by the adjustment just described, inasmuch as the distance of the point of connection 162 between the connecting rod and said lever from the fulcrum of the lever is also changed. To support and adjust the link 159, and thus provide an extensible operating lever, the pivot pin 163 connecting the link and connecting rod is extended later ally, one end of a rack bar 164 being joined thereto, said rack bar extending alongside the lever near its fulcrum and being guided in a strap 165 journaled on the lever, said strap rotat-ably supporting a gear wheel 166 engaging the teeth 167 of the rack. The axis of the gear wheel 166 extends beyond the strap, and a universal joint 168 connects the axis to a connecting rod 169 extending upwardly and forwardly and joined by another universal joint 170 to a. rod 171 journaled in an inclined bracket 172 secured tothe frame of the machine in position convenient for operation by the person handling the machine. A handle or wheel 17 3 is connect. ed to this rod, upon turning which the gear wheel 166 may be rotated to move the rack bar either to raise or lower the link and thereby change the elfective length of the operating lever and adjust the stroke of gripper slide either forwardly or backwardly. A register plate or indicator 174 havin ran depressions 175 is secured to the bracket and engaged by a spring-pressed pin 176 supported in an arm 177 secured to rod 171, so that the adjusted. position of the gripper slide may be both indicated and yieldingly maintained. The rod 169 is provided with a pin 178 engaging a slot in a tubular extension 17 9 of the joint 168, whereby the rotary motion of the wheel 173 will be transmitted to the gear 166, and yet the rod 169 be permitted to lengthen or shorten as may be required during the operation of the machine.

A gage or pointer is fastened to the frame in such position that it may be adjusted in line with and close to the path of the web, so that the amount of feed of the web may be observed by noting whether or not the successive marks or notices coincide with the pointer during the intermittent feed of the web. Should the marks fail to coincide with the pointer, the register mechanism may be operated either one way or the other to vary the feed so as to bring the marks into coincidence with the pointer, and under these latter circumstances the operator will know that the marks are being applied to the box in proper position. he gage comprises a pointer 180, movably mounted on a rod 181, adjustably secured in an inclined bracket arm 182 fastened to the frame. A set-screw 183 holds the pointer 180 in position, the rod 181 being fastened to the bracket between an adjustable collar 184 and a nut 185. It is found advisable to locate a light 186, preferably electric, beneath the web opposite the gage in order that thenotices may be viewed by transmitted light.

When the box and the end of the web are taken by the ripper they are together drawn rearward y to a vertically reciprocatory carrier mechanism comprising clamp jaws, between which they are clamped and with which they are moved past other devices for further treatment. The frame top has an open portion 187 in rear of the assembly table, and depending from the bottom of the table are substantial brackets 188 providing guideways 189 in which move parallel vertical slides 190 and 191, each provided with an angularly projecting clamp jaw 192. A third clamp jaw or carrier plate 193 having a rubber upper surface is yieldingly connected to the slides by a rod 194 guided in a substantial head 195 joining said slides. The rod 194 is provided with a head 196, to which are pivotally connected one slotted end of two links 197, the opposite ends of said links being pivotally connected a series of shallow circularly ary to the slides, respectively. Two other links 198 are pivoted at one end to the links 197, 197, respectively intermediate their ends, the other ends of the links 198 being pivotally connected to a connecting member 199 in turn pivotally jointed to a connecting rod 200 operated by means of a rock lever 201 fulcrumed on the rod 150, and engaged by a cam groove 203 in the cam element 11 on the shaft 7 Between the head 195 and a fixed collar 204 on the carrier rod is a coil spring 205 to yieldingly support said carrier plate relatively to the clamp jaws on the slides and between said head 195 and the head 196 at the lower end of the rod is a somewhat stronger spring 206. At a suitable point on the guideways is a stop comprising a cross piece 207 adapted to be engaged by a lug 208 on the head 196. At the bottom of the guideways adjustable stop pins 209 are secured against which the ends of the slides abut. When the box and web are gripped by the feeding mechanism they are together drawn over the table and the springs 147 cause the grippers to tilt relatively to the rod 129 and bodily move the box at a slight angle so as to wipe the web against the edge 210 of the table as it is drawn oil the same, thus smoothing the web on the box. Further feed of the grippers causes the box to be transferred into vertical alinement with the plate 193, and the pawl 141 to be thrust forward to open the grippers and deposit the box upon the carrier plate beneath the clamp jaws on the slides. The connecting rod 200 will then be lowered, and as the spring 205 will offer some resistance to its downward movement, the links 197 will fulcrum on the head 196, thus causing the jaws 192 to move against and clamp the box to the third jaw or carrier plate 193. The further downward movement of the connecting rod will lower the three jaws, together with the box and its trailing hinge strip or label, until the slides strike the stops 209 at the bottom of the guideways, whereupon the carrier plate will be moved a slight further distance, thus releasing the grip on the box, at which time a horizontal pusher operates to eject the box from these jaws. after which the reverse motion takes place and the three gripper jaws are restored to position, ready for the reception of the next box, the stop 207 serving to limit the upward movement of the carrier plate, permitting the earn 203 to raise the jaws a suflicient distance above the carrier plate to receive the box therebeneath.

Fastened to the frame adjacent the path of the downwardly moving box with its attached unfolded label or hinge, on the side of the trailing label and in vertical alinement therewith, is a wiper which. as the box passes thereby, folds or wipes the label or hinge up against the side of the box across the joint. In the present embodiment this wiper or folding device comprises a brush 211, the bristle surface of which inclines, or is beveled toward the box from its upper end, and eventually intersects the path of the side wall of the box so as to smoothly press and wipe the label against the box as it is carried past by the clamp jaws. Extending forwardly and rearwardly from an intermediate point of the brackets 188 are horizontally oppositely disposed brackets forming guideways 212, 213, spaced apart sufliciently to permit the box to pass therebetween, and to these front brackets is bolted an open rectangular frame 214 from the inner, upper and lower faces of which extend 'brushes 215, 215, between which the box passes after leaving the carrier plate. The pusher comprises slide rods 216, 216, joined by a cross piece 217 and adapted to move back and forth in the guideways 212, 213, being spaced apart sufliciently to escape the sides of the carrier mechanism, each rod having an inwardly projecting head 218 adapted to engage the box. The pusher is reciprocated by means of an adjustable connecting rod 219 connected to a rock lever 220 fulcrumed on the rod 150, and opera tively connected in a cam groove 221 of the cam element 10. The vertical brush 211 is bolted to the top of the horizontal frame 214. When the carrier plate has reached its lowest position and the clamp jaws have been released, the pusher advances and forces the box and its now upstanding hinge strip between the brushes 215, which latter fold the strip down onto the upper surface of the box and smooth and press both this portion of the strip and the lower portion also. The extent of movement of the pusher is sufficient to move the box beyond the horizontal brushes and preferably into a transferring device, by means of which the boxes are delivered to a receiving magazine, in which they are stacked and the labels or hinges pressed.

The numeral 222 indicates a box-carrying head comprising guiding and supporting arms 223 between which the box is received, pivotally mounted on a bracket 224 attached to a fixed part of the machine, as the top of the press, so as to be capable of assuming position in line with the box as it leaves the horizontal brushes, and rotatably transfer the box to the press or magazine. Fixed to the head is a gear segment 225 meshing with a similar segment 226 journaled in a bracket on the frame, and a spring. 227 connects the latter segment and the frame and operates to vieldingly raise the transferring head to horizontal position in line with the brushes 215. In order to positively rotate the segment 226 and thereby move the head 222 to cause the transfer of the box to the magazine, a lever 228 fulcrumed on the frame is joined to said segment by a con- 

